Inspite of this year's Eurovision Song Contest motto Under the same sky, a motto like Under the same security might be better. Fences and police men surround the Abdi Ipekci Arena, the venue where the Eurovision Song Contest takes place.
After bomb attacks in November last year, the discussion whether the Eurovision Song Contest should take place in an “unsafe” country got going. How could the safety of 36 countries' delegations be guaranteed? The Turkish authorities convinced the Eurovision Broadcasting Union and sees in organising the Eurovision Song Contest a great opportunity to make Istanbul known as one of the worlds' safest metropolises.
This results in Istanbul being transformed in a true fortress, although not all security precautions can be seen. Cars are double checked, the neighbourhood of the big hotels and the Abdi Ipekci Arena is checked with a helicopter more times a day and police men and women are everywhere.
Furthermore, the Eurovision Song Contest delegations get protection. Israelian singer David D'Or walks with 15 bodyguards around him and the Dutch representatives Re-union are protected by 4 of them.
